Each year, countless films are disqualified or ineligible from WGAawards contention, and this is generally followed by a lot of complaints and dumbfounded wonder. However, this year in particular, it seems many big Oscar contenders are being left out of the loop for two main reasons: the screenwriter(s) are not WGA members or the production didn’t get the sign off from the guild. So what does this mean?

Well, the movies that won’t be winning any WGA prizes this year are “The Hateful Eight,” “Inside Out,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “Son of Saul,” “Suffragette,” “Youth,” “Ex Machina,” “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” “99 Homes,” “Ricki and the Flash,” “Room,” “The Danish Girl,” “Anomalisa,” “Brooklyn,” “45 Years” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” among many others.

Essentially, the WGA awards are for club members only, which really shouldn’t be a surprise. Though in the midst of awards season, it is a bit odd that many of the best written movies of the year won’t be getting recognized by one of Hollywood’s biggest writing bodies. As for Oscar prognosticators, it means that once again, the WGA’s mean little when it comes to predicting who will take home the golden statues in February.

The WGA Awards will be handed out on February 13, 2016. The nominations will arrive on January 6, 2016. [Variety]